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"Saul is ordered to destroy all the
Amalekites and their livestock,"
[page 24 verso, lower panel]
The Morgan Picture Bible (c. 1250)
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Many Christians in 17th century England and 17th and 18th
century North America were struck by some passages in I Samuel
in which the prophet Samuel warned about the dangers a King
would pose to the liberties of the Israelite people. This struck
a chord with those who were fighting the growing power of the
Stuart monarchy or the efforts of the British Empire to exert
its power over the North American colonies. The art we have
chosen to illustrate these passages come from the Illustrated
Bible commissioned by King Louis IX (1214-1270) of France in
the mid-13th century. They provide a stark contrast to the
anti-monarchical sentiment of 17th and 18th century Englishmen.
Louis IX arranged for these illustrations to be made because
he wanted to assert his divine right to rule France and saw
in the commands of Samuel and the actions of King Saul both
historical and theological precedent upon which he could draw
to justify his own behavior. [More]
[See other works by Samuel]
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Read more...
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Images of Liberty 
